Putin pledges free grain shipments to African nations – despite coup in Niger at summit
During the Russia-Africa summit, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, pledged free grain to several African nations.
However, this promise came amid the shadow of a coup in Niger, condemned by the African Union.
“Within the next 3-4 months, we will be ready to supply between 25,000 and 50,000 tons of grains to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Eritrea free of charge,” Putin stated at the summit in Saint Petersburg.
Despite stepping out of the grain agreement, Putin reassured about 50 African nations of Russia’s commitment to global food security, even though negative impacts of this decision are already being felt, as per UN reports.
Putin assured that Russia would bear the transportation costs as well, emphasizing the importance of uninterrupted food supplies for African countries.
He expressed Russia’s dedication to providing wheat, barley, corn, and other grains to these nations.
Putin condemned the accusations blaming Russia for the food crisis, emphasizing Russia’s capacity to replace Ukrainian grain, given Moscow’s significant 20% share in global wheat production.
He claimed that Russia significantly contributes to global food security and is a reliable supplier of agricultural products.
The summit coincided with a military uprising in Niger, which has led to the overthrow and detention of President Mohamed Bazoum.
The coup has been widely condemned, with calls for Bazoum’s immediate release. Amid these tensions, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, called for the restoration of constitutional order in Niger.
The summit also saw the unexpected presence of Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, who met representatives from the Nigerien delegation, though the details of their conversation remain unknown.
Prigozhin reportedly affirmed that the mercenaries would soon return to Africa, their natural space.
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